Astana hosted the international conference “XV – Excellence and Value in Heart Care,” marking the 15th anniversary of the University Medical Center Heart Center, part of the Nazarbayev University (NU) ecosystem. The two-day event brought together leading cardiology and cardiac surgery specialists from Kazakhstan and more than 20 countries across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia.
Participants discussed advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery, arrhythmology, cardiac anesthesia, intensive care, cardiac radiology and emerging medical technologies. A special guest at the conference was renowned Czech cardiac surgeon Jan Pirk, who in 2012 worked alongside Yuriy Pya on Kazakhstan’s first heart transplant.
Over the past 15 years, the UMC Heart Center has become an important center for the development of modern cardiology and cardiac surgery in Kazakhstan. Its specialists have introduced new surgical procedures and treatment technologies that have advanced cardiac care in the country. To date, they have performed more than 130,000 procedures, provided medical care to more than 110,000 patients, and carried out 109 heart transplants and 26 lung transplants.
“For us, this conference is more than an anniversary event. It is an opportunity to look back at how far we have come while also looking ahead. Today, specialists from different countries have gathered in Astana to share experience and discuss the future of cardiovascular medicine. Fifteen years is an important milestone, but for us it is above all a new starting point. The most important work is still ahead,” said Yuriy Pya, Chairman of the Board of UMC, speaking at the conference.
The program also featured a dedicated discussion on nursing. Participants examined the role of nurses in modern medicine, their contribution to the quality and safety of patient care, and opportunities for professional development. For the first time, the conference included a non-clinical track, with UMC specialists leading sessions on quality management, hospital services and human resources management. Residents and early-career researchers also presented their work to an international community of experts as part of a clinical case competition.
As part of the conference, international speakers took part in a tour of the UMC Heart Center and Nazarbayev University. The visit offered an overview of the institutions’ clinical, research and educational infrastructure, key areas of work, and opportunities for future collaboration.
